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Murray Pitches Furman To Sweep Of Winthrop 6-5, 5-1
April 5, 2006
Greenville, S.C. - Blake Murray registered two wins in relief and Jessica Mathis collected four hits to lead the Furman Lady Paladins to a 6-5, 5-1 doubleheader sweep of Winthrop in non-conference softball action Wednesday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.
Trailing 5-3 with two outs and two on in the bottom of the 10th in game one, Murray hit an apparent game-ending groundball to shortstop. The bouncer skipped between the legs of Stephanie Reid and rolled to the wall allowing two runs to score. Mathis followed with an RBI single to right-center to plate Murray for the game-winning run.
Winthrop took an early 1-0 lead on Reid's RBI double to right-center. Furman responded with a two-run, two-out triple to right-center field off of the bat of Amber Nelsen in the bottom half of the frame to take a 2-1 advantage.
After trading runs in the third inning, Lauren Blaser scored an unearned run on a fielder's choice to knot the game at 3-3 in the top of the sixth inning. The Lady Paladins and Eagles combined to strand 13 runners before Winthrop broke through with two runs in the top of the 10th. Reid was placed on second to start the inning and Hilary Peacock singled to give the Eagles runners at first and third. Following a groundout to move Peacock to second, Lindsey Merriman singled through the left side to drive in two runs.
Murray (4-8) worked four innings of relief allowing one earned run on three hits to garner the victory. The sophomore recorded three strikeouts and did not issue a walk. Mathis and Amber Kiser each went 2-for-5 while Nelsen notched to RBI.
Shahna Ashard (11-6) took the loss surrendering six runs on eight hits and seven walks in 9.2 innings in the circle. Merriman led the Eagles going 3-for-5 with two RBI.
Joni Lockridge belted a two-run homer in the third and Murray limited the Eagles to one run on six hits in four innings of work. Furman upped its lead to 4-0 with two RBI singles in the fifth and added an insurance run on Mathis' RBI single in the sixth.
Winthrop scored its lone run on Laura Hill's single in the top of the sixth. Starter Julie Harvey absorbed the loss for Winthrop. Harvey (9-11) allowed four runs on six hits in five innings of work. Nesselroad received a no decision after tossing three scoreless innings as the Furman starter.
Lockridge finished 2-for-3 with three RBI while Megan Jaudon and Mathis recorded two safeties. Reid and Peacock notched two hits for the Eagles.
Winthrop (24-22) returns to action Saturday when its travels to Liberty for a 1:00 p.m. contest.
Furman (22-23) continues its homestand Saturday when it opens a three-game Southern Conference series against Georgia Southern with a 1:00 p.m. twinbill.
